1. Technical Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of making available digital image data files in a digital image processing apparatus, including offering for selection by an operator at least one digital image data file for the purpose of further handling. The invention also relates to an apparatus performing the inventive methods.
2. Description of Related Art
A method of this kind is known from EP-A 0 689 157. This known method is aimed at printing digital image data files prepared in a workstation connected via a local network to a printing apparatus, wherein a file is not printed immediately, but is simply stored in the memory of the printing apparatus and is not printed until it has been selected by an operator at the printing apparatus control panel. This specific manner of printing is termed xe2x80x9cinteractive printingxe2x80x9d.
EP-B 0 208 342 is another conventional method of printing digital image data files in which a file is protected by a code. Only when an operator has keyed in on the printing apparatus control panel a code corresponding to this security code is the file really printed. In this way, unauthorized personnel can be prevented from printing a file and thus gaining confidential information. The system described in that document, however, is not suitable for use with more than one print file at a time, so that a handling session is always limited to one file. Accordingly, the use of a series of protected files is not involved there.
If a user now sends various print files to such conventional systems, each provided with a security code, from his workstation to the printing apparatus, it is inconvenient to use a separate code for each file. The user must then exactly remember what code he has input for each file. As a rule, a user will therefore prefer always to use the same code. As long as that one code is not known to others, it does not cause any security problems.
In the light of these considerations it is a disadvantage that in the case of a series of protected files an access code has to be input again by the user for each protected file, all the more so in that in many cases it is always the same code. The user finds this an unnecessary waste of time.
There is therefore a need for a release procedure which burdens the operator with a request to key in the code only in essential cases (i.e. those cases in which a different code is used).
It is therefore, an object of the present invention to solve the above-noted is problems and meet the needs created by conventional systems.
The invention achieves these objects by disclosing a method that includes the following steps:
after selection of at least one file by the operator, checking whether the selected file is provided with a security code;
if a selected file is provided with a security code, asking the operator to input an access code corresponding to the security code; and
if the operator inputs the correct access code, releasing the selected file for the further handling; wherein
a) in a procedure for releasing a first file provided with a security code the correct access code is maintained for an uninterrupted series of selection actions by the operator,
b) in a procedure for releasing a second file provided with a security code, which procedure follows on at least one procedure for releasing a first file provided with a security code, a trial run is first automatically carried out as to whether a maintained access code for the first file is also correct for the second file, and
c) if no access code correct for the second file appears to be available the operator is asked to input an access code for the same.
As a result, the user as a rule need input a code only once to be able to process all the files. For extra-rapid processing, the user can also select a number of files together, e.g. as is conventional in a Windows-based system, by actuating the control key simultaneously with the mouse button and indicate all the required files. During the processing, the files thus selected collectively will be released and processed one by one, the access code being asked for in the case of the first file and the other selected files being processed without further intervention on the part of the operator, always assuming that all the files are provided with the same security code.
In a first embodiment of the method according to the invention, all the codes used during a handling session (when there are more than one code) are maintained and tried out.
In an alternative embodiment, only the access code of the previous protected file is used. As a result the procedure becomes more difficult to survey and less flexible.
In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the release procedure is directed at releasing a data file for printing.
In yet another embodiment, the release procedure is aimed at releasing data files generated during a scanning process, either for printing or for sending to a workstation or some other destination on the network.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.